Pizza
We
were standing next to the counter reading the menu. Sari wanted to
have a Margherita and I decided to go for Quattro Stagione.
We
were both tired, so we failed to react to an error that took place
while ordering the pizzas. For some reason the vendor got an idea
that we both wanted to have five pizzas.
"That'll
make altogether ten pizzas. Would you like to pay now?" Sari
didn't hear the question or was otherwise distracted, since she said,
"Yes." I realized what was about to happen but didn't bother
intervening.
"So
ten pizzas and the payment in cash," the vendor repeated. "That's
450 marks."
Sari
took out her purse.
"What! 450 marks!"
"Yes. You ordered ten pizzas."
"No."
"Yes you did. It's too late to cancel. The pizzas are already
in the oven."
Reluctantly
Sari paid the bill. We got seated in the table and waited. Sari sulked
and didn't say a word. We were both so hungry that we thought best
not to argue about it.
When
the waiter brought the pizzas, our spirits lifted up. The portions
looked delicious and we ate with relish. Quattro Stagione was very
good, so it was quickly finished. I waited for the next round.
The
waiter returned and brought the second pizzas. Eating we started to
feel better. I asked Sari her opinion of the food. "It's good
Margherita. But why are the portions so small?" she asked. I,
too, noticed that my pizza was smaller than the first one, which wasn't
too big either. Soon the waiter came back with the third round, and
I could see from the distance that these were even smaller, hardly
10 cm on a small plate.
I'm
not in the habit of loosing temper but now I was frustrated to a point
where I couldn't remain calm. The pizza parlour was not playing fair
game. First we were tricked to buy ten pizzas and now we were offered
too small portions. It was a double spoof: we paid far too much for
far too little.
"Listen,"
I said. "We ordered ten pizzas. We want to have ten pizzas."
"What do you mean?" The waiter played stupid.
"These portions are too small. You can't fool us."
The
waiter sat on the chair. He was an Italian with a thick moustache
wearing a white apron. He stared into distance saying nothing. He
had trouble defending himself since he knew we were right.
"OK,"
I continued. "I understand you're trying to save in the raw materials
offering us smaller portions. But we paid for full pizzas. And if
we paid for that then we also demand to get that. It's a question
of principle."
The
waiter rose up and was about to go to the kitchen. I grapped him by
the sleeve, and he got re-seated. I lowered my voice. "For all
honesty you know, as well as I know, that we cannot possibly finish
ten full pizzas." The Italian nodded. "So why don't we agree
that we eat these ones but then leave it at that, getting refund for
the rest?" The waiter looked hesitant. "This way you save
in the raw materials and we save our money, and everyone's happy."
The waiter looked pensive but then agreed.
Content
we finished our pizzas. We drank some water and wiped our mouths.
Then we went to the counter and waited for the vendor to count the
refund. As he gave it back to Sari, we thanked him and stepped outside.
On
the opposite side of the street there were a few pine trees. Behind
them you could see the sun.
